Measles Vaccine Likely Caused Death of Four Infants in Nepal, Authorities Say

Tuesday, 04 September 2012 07:50

Four infants between nine and 14 months of age recently died within 24 hours of receiving their measles and DPT (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) vaccines in the Doti area of Nepal, a small country between India and China.

According to a recent report in The Himalayan1, the Doti District Public Health Office (DPHO) has stated the primary investigation suggests the measles vaccine was the cause of death. Other infants who received other vaccines, but not the measles vaccine, have not developed any life-threatening side effects.

A quick search of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)2 reveals nearly 5,100 U.S. deaths related to various vaccines, as of this writing. The vast majority of deaths – nearly 60 percent – occurred in children under the age of three. Just over 360 of the reported deaths in the US have been related to any of the measles-containing vaccines.